CW’s British performances of 2011: No. 2

Number 2: Danny Hart’s downhill world titleChampery, Switzerland – September

To understand how incredible Danny Hart’s winning ride at the World Championships in Champery, Switzerland, was, you have to watch it.

The 20-year-old from Redcar blitzed the course and left the opposition standing.

He won the downhill world title by 11.699 seconds – as dominant a performance as Cavendish winning a sprint by a dozen bike lengths.

Hart went round tight corners as if they were gentle bends. He glided over the rocks and tree roots and cut through the watery mud with the ease of a child freewheeling down the driveway with his feet off the pedals.

It was an exhibition of someone totally in tune with his bike, demonstrating the sixth sense all top riders have – the ability to see things before the rest of us.

Roadie here, but so glad this made number 2.
Truly astonishing and courageous ride by a teenager !
Watch, watch and watch again it gets better each time.
A scandal he was not in the top 10 for BBC SPOTY.

DanP

I’m a ‘roadie’ but I have watched this about 10 times now and cannot stop grinning watching it with some of the best commentary you’ll ever hear not to mention the riding. The show boat jump towards the end is simply brilliant. Well done Danny Hart!

PeterLB

The greatest three minutes and forty one seconds of cycling this year.

Tim

Quality Clip. Astonishing riding, and improved no end by the marvellously impartial commentators. My favourite bit is when Danny goes through the second split, already almost 10 seconds up, and the commentator just goes “What? What? That is insane” but the whole performance is summed up best by the last line (on the youtube clip), “How does Danny Hart sit down with balls that big?”

Baz

It’s an overused word these days, but – awsome!

adam

I remember watching this on youtube at the time. Absolutely astonishing…. and glad you have included it so highly here!